Jesus Always...
"Be still in My presence, and wait patiently for Me to act..." Oh, how we need to hear this today. How many areas of our lives are we fretting over? How many things in this world are out of whack? Take a moment to breathe in this command and exhale the worry that has distressed our souls. Has He heard our prayers? Yes. Does He know what we need? Yes. Does He have perfect timing? Yes. Is He completely good? Yes. Does He have our best interest in mind? Yes. Is He in control? Yes. Do we trust Him? Hmmm...
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. I believe it is only made possible by the miracle of the Holy Spirit's presence; therefore, all the more reason to be aware of His presence and walk in His power. In our flesh, we worry. Living by the Spirit frees us from worry and allows us to live patiently, waiting on the Lord to act in His perfect timing, in His perfect ways. Things may not work out as we think they should, but how many times have we looked back and said, "Boy, if God had given me what I asked, I would never have discovered this."? Garth Brooks sang a song about unanswered prayers. Sometimes God saves us from a heap of trouble that we can't see at the time. He really does love us and want the best for us. We have to trust Him in all things. ALL things! Let us not give up praying, but let's give it up to God, for Him to control and lead. He is still working and moving in people's hearts. Wait patiently, and watch for Him to do His thing!
After reading this devotional today, I went to my "to do" list and wrote in "Rest in His presence...get peace and joy" There are so many things to do these days, making each day a buzz of activity. Usually, one of the first things to go is reading the Bible. Praying is another. We've got to stay in His Word and keep praying. They are two basic ingredients in the relationship He invites us into. Predominantly, we hear from Him through His Word. Praying brings His perspective about our challenges. These are foundational elements we can't afford to leave underutilized. Let's fight to make time for these things in our busy schedules.
Peace and Joy are both at our disposal, as fruits of the Holy Spirit, as well. Are they evident in our lives? Why are they not in abundance? Take some time out of your day to dwell on this and determine your steps to include being still, waiting patiently on God, trusting Him, having faith, and believing again in His grace and provision in all of your circumstances.
